Founded in 1812, the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University is a world-class natural history museum dedicated to advancing research, education, and public engagement in biodiversity and environmental science.

The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University is the place to experience natural science in a fun and engaging way. Enjoy four floors of exhibits, get face to face with a towering T. rex, touch live animals, stroll through a live butterfly garden, meet real scientists and see science in action.

The Academy of Natural Sciences President and CEO George W. Gephart, Jr., and Drexel University President John A. Fry today announced a historic affiliation between their institutions that will promote discovery, learning, and civic engagement in the natural and environmental sciences and further enhance Philadelphia’s reputation as a leader in scientific research and education.

The history of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, the nation’s oldest natural history museum, mirrors the evolution of the relationship between the American people and the natural world. The Academy was founded when the United States hugged the Atlantic coastline, and Philadelphia was the cultural, commercial and scientific center of the new nation.

George W. Gephart, Jr., serves as President & CEO of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University. The Academy is an historical force on Philadelphia's cultural boulevard and the oldest science research institution in the Americas.

The Academy of Natural Sciences was organized in 1812 by a small group of amateur naturalists dedicated to the "rational disposal of leisure moments" and "the advancement and diffusion of useful, liberal human knowledge." The Academy was one of the first institutions in the United States to devote its efforts exclusively to the study of natural history.

Founded in 1812, the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University is a leading natural history museum dedicated to advancing research, education, and public engagement in biodiversity and environmental science.

Membership

Become a member of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University and get insider access to our scientists, collections, exhibits, and more.